Change is in the air, and it smells sweet. Onondaga County Executive
Joanne Mahoney announced on May 2, 2008 that the County will not award construction
bids for the proposed Clinton Regional Treatment Facility (RTF) in Armory Square.
Instead, it will explore more environmentally and economically sound options
with the State of New York, Atlantic States Legal Foundation, City of Syracuse,
and, for the first time, the Onondaga Nation and other community stakeholders.

Persistence Pays Off
Syracuse has an antiquated combined sewer system, in which stormwater runoff
is directed into the sanitary sewers. A heavy rainfall results in Combined Sewer
Overflows (CSOs), dumping sewage directly into Onondaga Creek. Onondaga County's
previous solution was to treat the sewage with chlorine before dumping it into
the creek, solving the bacteria problem but creating a host of other environmental
and environmental justice concerns.

The County's first large RTF (Midland) was built in a predominantly
African-American neighborhood on the Southside, displacing families and burdening
the neighborhood with the stigma of a sewage plant. The Partnership for Onondaga
Creek was born from that nightmare, bringing together Southside residents, the
Onondaga Nation, and others interested in environmental justice and the health
of Onondaga Creek to advocate for better alternatives to County plans.

The persistent work of the Partnership for Onondaga Creek has
kept concerns about the sewage plants in the news and in politicians' minds
for the ten years since the plans were first unveiled. The ongoing struggle
inspired the Onondaga Environmental Institute to study bacteria concentrations
in Onondaga Creek in 2007. They discovered that high levels of bacteria existed
year-round, not just after storms, calling into serious question the effectiveness
of the RTFs' end-of-pipe solution.

Going Green
In January 2008, the federal Environmental Protection Agency released a report
urging municipalities to use green infrastructure, such as rain barrels, green
roofs, and other methods to keep stormwater out of the sewer system. These developments
combined with new County and State leadership this year to create a perfect
storm for revisiting the mandates of the Amended Consent Judgement (ACJ), which
dictates the cleanup of sewer pollution in Onondaga Creek and Harbor Brook.

On June 18th, the Partnership for Onondaga Creek gave a presentation
to Onondaga County and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation to outline
alternatives to the remaining phase of the Midland plant: a $57 Million, 12
foot diameter, 1.5 mile long pipeline currently slated to be installed beside
Onondaga Creek to pick up the few remaining untreated CSOs and direct the sewage
to the Midland RTF.

Help Protect
Local Waterways

Ensure that your gutter downspouts
do not connect directly to the sewers Direct
downspouts to permeable surfaces such as lawns, rain gardens OR Install
rain barrels to capture rain water (excellent for watering your lawn or
garden when it's dry!) Watch
your property for other water runoff during storms and reduce where possible
Consider permeable pavement
when repaving driveways or redoing sidewalks Plant
trees

The rainwater runoff that overwhelms the sewers comes primarily
from impermeable surfaces in a watershed - rooftops, parking lots, and streets.
In addition to targeted sewer separation and storage, the Partnership proposed
a mix of approaches to capture water using residential rainbarrels and green
roof installation on commercial properties. The installation of vegetated curb
extensions and tree box filters along roadsides, which serve to infiltrate water
into the ground at the same time as beautifying neighborhoods, complete the
plan. The cost of these alternatives is about half that of the proposed pipeline.
The presentation was well-received and the Partnership awaits a final decision
about whether the County and State will include the Midland sewersheds in their
green infrastructure initiatives.

Cities have paved over almost every inch of nature for far too
long, disrupting water cycles by keeping the water from the ground. Reconnecting
rainwater with vegetation and the groundwater, and otherwise mimicking Mother
Nature where possible, simply makes sense. While these low-tech solutions will
save local taxpayers money, the benefits to all who live in the area go much
farther than the wallet - improving air quality, decreasing the urban heat island
effect in the summertime and generally bringing nature back into the lives of
urban residents. This decision to use green infrastructure is a win for Onondaga
Creek and everyone in the area, and much can be done by local residents themselves.
To learn more or get involved, visit the Partnership for Onondaga Creek's website,
www.onondagacreek.org.

Lindsay is an environmental consultant and community organizer on behalf of the Onondaga Nation. A lifelong Syracuse resident, she has worked for several years on the protection and restoration of Onondaga Creek.